Roofing systems

ABSTRACT

A roofing system includes a weathering member (1) which underlies a ventilating tile (10) having a venilation opening (11). The member (1) includes an aperture (4) which permits air flowing through the tile opening (11) to reach the roof space, the aperture (4) being spaced from the opening (11) and being shielded therefrom by an upstanding ledge (6) of the member. A filler member (20) secured to the underside of the tile (10) engages over the top of the ledge (6) and forms an approximate seal therewith. In an alternative embodiment, the filler member (20) is omitted, and the ledge (6) includes a resilient upper portion which engages directly the underside of the tile.

This invention relates to roofing systems.

In recent years the importance in any roofing system of providingadequate ventilation of the interior roof space has been widelyrecognised, and experience has shown that in the absence of sufficientventilation condensation can cause premature deterioration of therafters and other roof components. Thus, in modern roofing systemsvarious means are generally provided to promote the flow of air fromoutside the roof to within the interior roof space. For example, inroofing systems comprising tiles, slates or other such individual unitsit is known to provide a number of so-called ventilating tiles, i.e. atile provided with one or more ventilation apertures through which airmay flow to the interior roof space. Traditionally such tiles usuallyinclude a protective eyebrow shaped hood which overlies the ventilationaperture to prevent the direct entry of rain water into the roof space,and a grill or mesh typically covers the lower, open end of the hoodwhich might otherwise provide access into the roof space for birds orinsects.

However a problem with ventilating tiles is that airborne water dropletsor fine snow flakes may be carried by the airstream into the roof spacevia the tile ventilation apertures, a grill or mesh generally beingineffective to collect such droplets, and over a period of time this canresult in a considerable amount of moisture entering the roof space.This is undesirable and again can cause premature deterioration of theroof components.

Viewed from a first aspect the invention provides a roofing systemincluding a weathering member which underlies a tile, slate or like unithaving a ventilation opening, said member having an aperture whichpermits air flowing through said ventilation opening to enter theunderlying roof space, said aperture being spaced from the ventilationopening and being shielded therefrom by an upstanding ledge of saidmember.

In a roofing system in accordance with the invention, the weatheringmember aperture permits air flowing through the tile ventilation openingto enter the roof space. However, any airborne water droplets or snowflakes impinge either directly on the weathering member or on theupstanding ledge which shields the aperture from the ventilationopening, and are thus collected by the member. The weathering member ispreferably adapted and arranged to drain water collected thereby ontothe upper surface of a tile in the adjacent lower row of the system.

Preferably the weathering member is in the form of a tray which issecured at its upper end to a tiling batten of the system. The trailingedge of the member is preferably contoured to match the shape of theupper surface of a tile in the adjacent lower row and is supported bysuch tile.

It is desirable that the upstanding ledge forms at least an approximateseal with the underside of the overlying tile or slate, and in oneembodiment, at least the upper part of the upstanding ledge is formed ofa resilient material such as foam which engages and shapes itself to theunderside of the tile and thus forms an approximate seal therewith,regardless of how the tile may be contoured. In an alternativeembodiment, where the underside of the overlying tile is contoured, afiller portion may be secured thereto which engages over the upper partof the ledge. Advantageously the weathering member further comprises anupstanding flange which extends around the aperture and forms a kerbwhich reduces the possibility of water collected by the member runninginto the roof space. The weathering member may conveniently be formedfrom a plastics material by a vacuum moulding technique.

Viewed from a second aspect the invention provides a weathering memberfor a roofing system adapted to underly a tile, slate or like unithaving a ventilation opening, said member having an aperture adjacentone end thereof which in use permits air flowing through the tileventilation opening to enter the roof space, and an upstanding ledgeadjacent said aperture adapted in use to shield the aperture from theventilation opening.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a weathering member;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of part of a roofing system incorporatingthe weathering member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section through part of the roofing system of FIG. 2showing a ventilating tile overlying the weathering member;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 only illustrating an alternativeembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the underside of the ventilating rooftile used in the embodiment of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, a weathering member 1 formed from a suitableplastics material by a vacuum moulding technique is in the form of atray having a lip 2 at the upper in use end and a contoured trailingedge 3 which matches the profile of the upper surface of the roof tileswith which the member is adapted for use. The weathering member may beformed from any other suitable material. Adjacent the upper end of themember is formed an aperture 4 around which extends an upstanding flange5. An upstanding ledge 6 is disposed in front of the aperture 4 andincludes an upper part 7 formed of a resilient material.

FIG. 2 shows the manner in which the weathering member 1 is secured to aroofing system, the ventilating tile which in use overlies the memberbeing omitted from this figure for clarity. The member 1 is laid inplace before the overlying tile, and the lip 2 at the upper end rests onand is secured to e.g. by nailing to a transverse tiling batten 8 of thesystem. The trailing edge 3 of the member overlaps and rests on theupper surface of an adjacent roof tile 9 in the lower course.

As shown in FIG. 3, a ventilating tile 10 is laid on top of theweathering member, and may be secured by conventional tile clips ornails (not shown). The tile 10 includes a ventilation opening 11 whichis covered by an eyebrow shaped hood 12 as is conventional. A grill 13is provided at the lower, open end of the hood to prevent insects orbirds entering the interior roof space. As shown in FIG. 3, theweathering member aperture 4 is spaced from the tile ventilation opening11 and is shielded therefrom by the upstanding ledge 6. The resilientupper part 7 of the ledge engages the underside of the tile 10 andcontours itself to the shape of the tile so as to make an approximateseal therewith.

As shown by the arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3, air flowing through theventilation opening 11 can flow round the upstanding ledge 6 and enterthe roof space via the aperture 4. However, water droplets or snowflakes carried by the airstream will impringe either on the upstandingledge 6, its resilent upper part 7 or on the weathering member itself.Thus the weathering member collects the liquid droplets or snow flakesand it will be seen that the arrangement is such that the collectedliquid runs from the weathering member onto the upper surface of theadjacent lower tile 9. The flange 5 surrounding the aperture 4 furtherensures against collected liquid entering the roof space. Where roofingfelt underlies the tiles, this is cut adjacent the aperture 4 to enableair to pass into the roof space. As will be seen in particular from FIG.3, the weathering member is generally in the form of a tray and includesa first generally planar portion in which the aperture 4 is formedextending generally parallel to the rafters, and a second portion whichis upwardly inclined relative to the first portion and which rests atits lower end on the upper surface of the lower tile 9.

An alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein the resilientupper part of the ledge 6 is omitted and instead the ventilating tile 10is provided with a filler portion 20 on its underside (FIG. 5). Thefiller portion 20, which may be vacuum formed from a suitable plasticsmaterial and secured to the tile by means of a suitable adhesive,engages over the upstanding ledge 6 of the weathering member 10 and thusprevents water passing over the ledge into the aperture 4.

I claim:
 1. A weathering member for underlying a roofing unit having aventilation opening in a roofing system, such member being of tray likeconfiguration and comprising:(a) a base part having side edges; (b) twoside walls attached to and extending along side edges of the base part,the two side walls defining a lateral distance therebetween; (c) anaperture defined in said base part adjacent one end thereof, theaperture extending laterally only part way of the lateral distancebetween said side walls; and (d) an upstanding ledge attached to thebase part and located in front of the aperture, the upstanding ledgeextending laterally a distance beyond the aperture on either sidethereof, but less than the lateral distance between the side walls so asto defined air passages between the ledge and the side walls such that,in use, the aperture is shielded from the ventilation opening in theoverlying roofing unit and air passing through the opening can flowaround either side of the ledge and thereby into the underlying roofspace.
 2. In a roofing system comprising a plurality of individualroofing units arranged in partially overlapping rows thereof, at leastone of said units having a ventilation opening for providing ventilationof an underlying roof space, the improved tray like weathering memberlocated beneath said one roofing unit, comprising:(a) a base part havingside edges; (b) two side walls attached to and extending along sideedges of said base part, the two side walls defining a lateral distancetherebetween; (c) an aperture defined in said base part adjacent one endthereof, such aperture extending only part way of the lateral distancebetween said side walls and spaced longitudinally from said ventilationopening in the overlying roofing unit; and (d) an upstanding ledgeattached to the base part and located in front of said aperture theupstanding ledge extending laterally a distance beyond the aperture oneither side thereof, but less than the lateral distance between the sidewalls so as to define air passages between the ledge and the side wallssuch that the aperture is shielded from the ventilation opening by saidledge and air passing through said ventilation opening can flow aroundeither side of the ledge to said aperture and thereby into theunderlying roof space.
 3. A roofing system as claimed in claim 2 furthercomprising means to secure the tray at an upper end to a tiling battenor like supporting member of the roofing system.
 4. A roofing system asclaimed in claim 3 wherein an end portion of the base part is contouredto match the shape of the upper surface of a roofing unit in an adjacentlower row and is supported by such unit.
 5. A roofing system as claimedin claim 2 further comprising a resilient material attached to an upperpart of said upstanding ledge of the weathering member so as to engagethe underside of the overlying roofing unit.
 6. A roofing system asclaimed in claim 2 further comprising a filler portion secured to theunderside of the overlying roofing unit which engages over theupstanding ledge of the weathering member.